Should you believe in unicorns? Tech start-ups have polarised investors with Bill Gates calling for restraint but others arguing new tech will change the world May 9, 2016 The sad demise of unicorns was widely predicted at the start of the year. Unicorns – or young, technology private companies valued at over $1bn (£693m) – drew vast sums of investment throughout last year and comparisons with the dot-com boom were drawn. There are around 170 companies with unicorn status, according to Fortune. Some are [...]
Shareholder spring freezes over: Reckitt Benckiser, Rolls Royce, and GlaxoSmithKline give their approval to executive pay plans May 5, 2016 The prospect of a fresh shareholder spring was delivered another blow today. Shareholders of consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser, engineering firm Rolls Royce, and drug-maker GlaxoSmithKline all gave their approval to their respective executive pay packages with votes coming in above 80 per cent in favour across the board. Reckitt, now rebranded as RB, had the toughest time of the three [...]
How crowdfunding is giving exciting businesses the chance to do a “top-up” round – and why they need to be careful May 5, 2016 Choosing how to finance a company at any particular stage is a complex decision, with no simple, right answer. We are an app-based provider of beauty services to your home, operating in London. Since launching in 2013, we have raised over £5m from angel investors, which has enabled us to build two flagship stores and [...]
RBS shareholders approve executive pay at annual meeting, joining Aviva and BAE Systems in waving through exec pay packages May 4, 2016 Embattled Royal Bank of Scotland has been fighting to defend its management practises and executive pay this afternoon at its annual shareholder meeting (AGM) in Edinburgh. The banks shareholders eventually voted overwhelmingly in favour of the bank's executive pay, with over 99 per cent approving the report. RBS boss Ross McEwan faced a barrage of [...]
Lack of long-term investment in early stage companies is damaging the economy May 4, 2016 Lack of long-term investment in early stage and innovative companies is damaging the economy, leading fund managers have said. “Our society has increasingly lost its way. Fund management should be doing rightful investment for the world and I think it’s a really serious problem [that they’re not],” says James Anderson, manager of the highly regarded Scottish [...]
How Budget capital gains tax changes boosted attractiveness of startups to investors May 4, 2016 Changes to capital gains tax and entrepreneurs’ relief announced in the Budget have made startups and growing businesses more attractive investment prospects, a new survey of business leaders has found. Eight in 10 of the 1,224 Institute of Directors members quizzed in April over the changes said they would draw investment to entrepreneurial companies. Under the [...]
Four of the best recovery stocks: From alternative lenders to biotech, fund bosses highlight the unloved companies due for a stock market turnaround May 3, 2016 Investing in a company that’s had a bad spell on the stock market can mean an opportunity to buy cheap shares. If a turnaround is successful, or the company proves its true potential to the market, those shares will one day be worth much more. I asked the experts which stocks they’re backing. Illumina From James [...]
Aberdeen Asset Management’s profits have gone south, as investor battles with emerging markets May 3, 2016 Profits for Aberdeen Asset Management have almost halved, it revealed in its half-year results today. Shares in the company were trading down 7.7 per cent at 275.7p shortly before 9:30am London time. The figures The investment manager reported profits before tax of £98.8m for its six-months ended March 2016, down 46.7 per cent from £185.4m the year [...]
Why are car-makers getting the cold shoulder from investors? Well, why not? May 3, 2016 What is the most unloved sector in the global equity market? First off, you might think of oil, which is beset by huge oversupply imbalances despite the recent bounce inspired in great part by bullish financial speculators. Possibly you might plump for banks, which are seeing their net interest margins scythed by increasingly desperate central bankers [...]
A Spring is in the air this May – Shareholder revolt set to build with Aviva and Reckitt Benckiser meetings May 3, 2016 Company bosses are braced for further uprisings this week. Consumer goods group Reckitt Benckiser, insurance giant Aviva, and FTSE 250 hedge fund Man Group all host shareholders for their annual general meetings. Last week the shareholder spring picked up pace as investors voted against boardroom pay rewards for engineering firm Weir Group and Shire, the FTSE [...]